There is always the risk the cleanup activities will rupture the spent fuel pond liner. I was expecting that to happen at Unit 4 quite frankly. But with Unit 3 it's a whole different animal.

Because of the fissile fuel meltdowns the out of control radiation emanating from this "non-emergency" reactor building (like Units 1 and 2) is too deadly for humans to enter. It kills hardened robots.

Unlike Unit 4, they haven't been able to shore up any ruptured floors or walls on the lower levels at Units 1-3 and have only scope information to assess the condition of the containment building. There have been a few kamikaze human forays into the least deadly areas, but work time is measured in a couple of minutes.

We worried about Unit 4…now Unit 3 jumps to the top of the list. And next week…Unit 2…following week Unit 1…

Wasn't it a asinine idea to build 6 nuclear reactor buildings on the same little plot of land? And put them by the ocean for good measure so everybody gets a taste of death.

Lost in the aftermath of the nuclear explosion that destroyed Reactor3, was the condition of SFP3. Water in SFP3 boiled off after 311, and was eventually replaced with seawater. But the damage had already been done. Some of the spent fuel in SFP3 had melted into a puddle at the bottom of the pool. Fuel assemblies broke and spilled their contents. Storage racks no longer kept spent fuel separated. Once water was added, neutrons emitted by the spent fuel slowed, and criticalities commenced, as evidenced by the presence of short-lifed cesium and iodine isotopes in the SFP3.

What we now have is a rogue nuclear reactor operating in the open air without containment of any kind inside the former SFP3. Metal roofing corroding and falling into SFP3 is the least of…

…What we now have is a rogue nuclear reactor operating in the open air without containment of any kind inside the former SFP3. Metal roofing corroding and falling into SFP3 is the least of our worries.

Sickputer: Nuclear reservations like the Fuku Diiachi complex were built for the convenience of the utility. As it turns out, a problem at one unit may cause skyshine that would kill any remaining workers at the site. A problem at one reactor can bring down all the reactors at the site. Every such nuke complex must be shuttered.

PuN writes: "As it turns out, a problem at one unit may cause skyshine that would kill any remaining workers at the site. A problem at one reactor can bring down all the reactors at the site"

SP: good posts… Yes, the new Domino Theory applies to megaplexes.
Haven't seen much NRC strategizing to prevent similar issues at the American megaplexes.

There are things they can do at American megaplexes to help prevent cascading disaster scenarios. Unfortunately, those measures cost money and the private owners are too busy hiring special interest lobbyists to influence politicians. Influence them to stop safety features we now know are essential to prevent an American Fukushima.

They should be required to dry cask as much spent fuel assemblies as possible. Immediately. They stall because casks cost millions. Nuclear power plant companies don't care if you live or die…just keep their paychecks rolling.

I doubt very much that is a sfp from Fuk3. We saw that reactor building blown to smithereens. Wait a minute, maybe, just maybe, that was an illusion and all the spent fuel is still pristine with the manufacturers label still intact. Though, if I were a betting man I would say the sfp is now the basement. Tepco needs to hire an emergency interpretation disorder assessment contractor to research into current developments regarding managements emergency fatigue.

I think the explosion was similar to the propulsion of a missile from a silo.

The quick explosion at Unit 3 had most of the energy propelled out from the pool. But some of the racks remained. The liner of the pools are stout. We will see if it can remain intact for another 50 years.

It will have to, because I don't think their fuel assembly removal methods are going to work at Units 3 or 4 even if they wait until December 2013. Broken and fused assemblies are impossible to remove with the current extraction suggestions. It's time to consider other options, and none look promising.

"Broken and fused assemblies are impossible to remove with the current extraction suggestions." Sickputer

Call Dyson. Cyclone technology is needed. Very Large Vacuum.

Seriously, it is by now clear to anyone watching the "cleanup" operation that if the current pace of the TEP.gov effort at Fuku is maintained, even the chewing gum and bailing wire efforts to keep pipes clear and pumps running will grind to a halt after a time. TEP.gov will someday give up, fill what remains of Buildings1,2,3,&4 with concrete, declare the cleanup completed, and simply walk away.

Can they use a giant magnet to remove debris, are the fuel bundles magnetic, would a magnet disturb fuel, could you move or lift fuel bundles with magnet and place in containers, are radioactive isotopes attracted to magnets? Small steps is all we can do, any other ideas welcome.

but if I were to use magnets, I would use Thunderbird #2. and have Thunderbird #4 handy just in case it all slipped conveniently into the Deep Blue Sea. of course TEPCO execs might like to be on standby in #3 to escape to #5 if it all goes pear shaped. sorry, more pear shaped, even a 4D Klein bottle.

Spent on a "Titanic-like" hubris to build an "unbreachable containment" which they knew to be just as flimsy as the
"unsinkable" boat we all remember so well …

Same money guys behind both failed ventures: United-States-of-Cancer-folk-hero John Pierpont Morgan and his capitalistic heirs … (Owners of International Mercantile Marine and General Electric Company) …

Oh the irony … the utter irony …

'Cept the flimsy boat only drowned two thousand …

But the flimsy containments have doomed the once proud 'Empire of Japan' … and equally tragically, many parts of our lovely 'Lost' Coast … and

they ain't worth a preppy's ass when they aren't on order for expedited campaign to use them and fill them at our nation's over one hundred vulnerable (idiotic and scientifically indefensible) spent fool pools!!!!!

Quote of the Day: “It feels like a friendlier, happier group than I recall gathered before us in the past.” – Sen. Tom Carper (D-Del.) at a Senate hearing with the five members of the Nuclear Regulatory Commission

Members of the commission said tensions have eased with the departure of former NRC Chairman Gregory Jaczko.

Of course they're happier. Jaczko was starting to develop a conscience. He declared the 50 mile evacuation zone for Americans in part because of concern that SPF4 was so dangerous.

This absolutely infuriated the industry and the other commissioners because the equally arbitrary and useless U.S. evacuation zones were being reconsidered. Jaczko went rouge, wasn't following the program and had to be eliminated.

Five psychopaths are always much happier than four and a half. And a happy psychopath is a dangerous one.

Unfortunately, the liner is Stainless Steel. Chlorides attack Stainless with a vengeance. It causes Stainless to crack along the grain. As the SFP sags, twists, and bends, the liner will go along. Stainless is getting more and more brittle because of the chlorides and radiation. YAPCO does not have 50 years before this thing goes. Many of us at Enenews know what is going to happen we just can't put a time on the event.

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